Install Guide

SAS FE host path configuration options
7 Dell EMC SC Series Storage with SAS Front-end Support for VMware vSphere | 3027-CD-VM
2 SAS FE host path configuration options
When an SC Series array is configured with SAS FE ports, eight ports (four on each controller) are available
to connect hosts with SAS HBAs. SC Series arrays with SAS-FE connectivity support a maximum of four
hosts (path redundancy is required for each host SAS HBA).
SCv2000/SC4020 with SAS FE ports (4 ports on each controller)
SCv3000/SC5020 with SAS FE ports (4 ports on each controller)
2.1 Multipath configuration
To provide redundancy and ensure uptime, each host should be configured with at least two data paths to
external storage. With MPIO, if a data path fails, another data path provides the host with uninterrupted
access to SAN storage.
VMware vSphere provides native Multi-path I/O (MPIO) support that is easy to configure. More information on
MPIO for VMware vSphere can be found in Dell EMC SC Series Best Practices with VMware vSphere 5.x-6.x.
With SAS FE, up to four hosts can be connected to each SC Series array in any combination of standalone
hosts or cluster nodes. Figures 5 through 10 show several different MPIO cabling options for vSphere hosts
and clusters.
Each cable color in figures 5 through 12 represents a separate SAS FE fault domain. Fault domains protect
hosts against a single path or single controller failure.
Each SAS FE fault domain consists of two SAS FE ports. The SAS FE ports in each SAS FE fault domain are
corresponding ports on each controller, for example: SAS FE port 1 on both top and bottom controllers. This
is shown in the following images.
Note: When using more than one dual-port SAS HBA in a physical host, each dual-port SAS HBA must
connect to only one SAS FE fault domain – one port to the top controller and one port to the bottom controller.